The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-07-26
THE BALL BEGINS.
Three American Schooners In
Trouble on Canadian Coasts.
Seine Boats and Fishermen Captured
Within the Limit.
Hundreds of Sails, Millions OF Mack
ereI Down East.
Especial to the Press.l

HALIFAX, July Z0.-A genuine sensation
was created here today by the reports Of the
capture Of three American fishermen Re-
| ports from all along the coast indicate that
the mackerel are schooling in shore in vast
quantities This is doubtless largely owing
to the extraordinary fine weather we have
been enjoying. The mackerel followed by
the fleet were off East Point on Sunday, when
big hauls were made. Some seven or eight
American seiners were within two miles of
-the shore, off the first cape near East Point
During the afternoon the Cutter Critic hove
in sight. The poachers Immediately scatter
ed and were soon lost among the eighty odd
sails of vessels that lowered along the three
mile limit line. But while the vessels them
selves escaped, the Critic managed to capture
two senes Of gsh and the seine boats with
fourteen men aboard. These belonged TO
the Gloucester schooners Jonas III. French,
Captain Harris, and the Argonaut, Captain
Sprague. They were brought to Souris to-
day, and handed over to Collector Foley.
The American consul took charge Of the
men. The French and Argonaut will be
seized for violation Of the treaty the first
time they are in any port, or within the three
mile limit.
There are now over two hundred sail Of
Americans in North Bay, and only four
Canadian cruisers to watch them. The Aca-
dia is in Halifax hauled up, getting her boil
ers fixed.
At Shelburne, today. Captain Knowlton Of
the cruiser Advance, detained a Gloucester
schooner, Annie Hodgson, for violating the
customs laws The Canadian skipper thinks
the Hodgson was in that harbor last week,
and when she sailed alleged that she was 60
ing straight to the Banks. Today she ran
into portunder cover Of fog, and when she
found the cruisers boat after her, crowded
on all sail and attempted to escape. Skipper
Morrison explains his position by saying that
when he was fifteen miles off Shelburne
fishing yesterday, three dories left his vessel
to attend to travis. A fog setlin. Two re-
turned, but the third did not. Thinking
the men would follow the sound of the fog
horn and put into Shelburne, he came in to
see if they had arrived there. He found
they had, took them aboard and was in
hurry to get back to the travis. He does net
think under these simple circumstances it
was worth while to go many miles up the
harbor to report at the Custom House, nor
did he imagine he would be required to. But
= weak point in Morrison's story is the
fact that there is q customs officer at Sand
Point, just opposite towAsse he was anch r
ed, and that the captain of the cutter could
receive his entry. Instead of waiting fer
the cutter. and explaining the circumstance
of his being in port he was running away
when he saw the cutters boat coming.
Consul General Phelan will fully inyesti-
gate the circumstances of both cases.
ITO the Associated Press.J
SHELBURNE, N. s., July 25.-Captain
Knowlton, who captured the schooner Annie
w. Hodgson, handed her over to the collector
Of customs, who placed two men on board Of
her to take charge till instructions as to far
ther actions are received from Ottawa. Capt.
Morrison and crew remain on board. The |
schooner is % tons register and has about 70
quintals of Goldfish aboard.
Though the first Of the season, the seizure
has attracted no special attention here.
There Is an entire absence of excitement and
only little ordinary curiosity
Prospects of the Canadian Fisheries. |
OTTAWA. July 15.-Hon. George Foster,
Minister Of Marine and Fisheries, has re-
turned from three weeks cruise among the |
American fishermen. He says the Ameri- |
cans are carefully observing the regulations. |
According TO reports, the catches OF fish by |
Americans have been very small. At this |
rate they cannot prohtably, continue opera |
ti0ns much longer The failure Of the fish, |
cries on their own coast has not improved |
matters, and they are now dependent on the |
American fleet in Canadian waters, which |
just now exceeds 125 sail. A noticeable |
thing Is the largely increased number of |
mackerel seiners fitted out this season by the |
Canadians, who, in all cases, are enjoying |
prosperity. The fishing around Prince Ed |
ward Island being largely in shore, they |
possess great advantage over the Americans. |
The lobster fishery off New Brunswick |
and the ports of Prince Edward Island has |
proved a failure. Many fishermen have |
pulled up their traps and are going into the |
mackerel business; The catch Of HOLSTERS at |
opinion is general that the lobster catching |
business has been overdone, and probably |
the laws for the protection of these crusta- |
ceans Will be more rigidly enforced.